By Mathew Muranaka: After reading many amusing articles about how Shannon Briggs (51-5-1, 45 KO’s) has a real chance to beat Vitali Klitschko (40-3, 38KO’s), I realized that the author, who will remain anonymous, truly does believe that “The Cannon” will indeed knock out Dr. Ironfist. So lets look at the facts that this other anonymous author fails to mention:

Briggs stands at 6 feet 4 inches tall, 3 inches shorter than Klitschko. But they do have an equal 80” reach. So Klitschko well not have the reach advantage that the Ukrainian usually has. Who has the better jab with that reach, Klitschko. Who has the wild hooks, Briggs. Briggs does have 30 first round knockouts on his resume. That is pretty impressive, until you take a look against who…. Ironically the same writer/author slams Pacquiao about his alleged PED use, which he has never been tested positive. But in December of 2009, Briggs (coming off a 30 month layoff ) first round knock out of Marcus McGee (22-17, 11KO’s) was ruled a “no-contest”, due to Briggs testing positive for illegal substance. But he backs Briggs….

Maybe Briggs was trying to get back to his training that he put in when he lost to Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32KO’s) for the WBC title in 98. This is a good example to compare Briggs and Vitali, being that they both had a showdown fight vs “The Lion”. Briggs got knocked down three times and the fight was stopped via TKO in the 5th round. Briggs had some good shots early on, but Lennox was in control of the fight. Four years later, June 21, 2003 – The world awaited a great match up, V. Klitschko vs. Lewis. This was a well deserved match up, unlike the robbery that “Big George” Foreman had to endure to Briggs, for Briggs to get a undeserved shot at Lewis ( Talk about a robbery…) Klitschko on the other hand lost to Chris Byrd and won 4 straight including a WBA heavyweight eliminator fight, to earn his shot at the champ. In the 3rd round Lewis landed a massive right hand shot that opened a deep cut above the Vitali’s left eye. In the cut round between rounds 6 and 7, the ringside doctor deemed the cut to severe and the fight was stopped. But since the cut was from Lewis big right hand, and not from a headbutt, Lewis rightfully go the TKO stoppage. But you can not forget that when Lewis was getting his hand raised by the referee, many fans began booing “The Lion”. It sounds weird hearing that now, being that the fight took place in Los Angeles California. HBO in recent months have come out saying that they are not going to showcase anymore Klitschko’s bouts because of lack of interest in the American fight scene. But in 2003 even the fans at the fight that night, knew that Lennox barely got past a youthful Vitali, and we all awaited a rematch. In boxing, fighters fight for money and world titles, and this was to be the biggest money fight for a title in the heavyweight division in 2003/2004. Even Lennox knew that it was his time to go. Something in that fight he saw in Vitali or felt his own skills diminish compared to Vitali, and knew that he would beat “The Lion” in an event of a rematch. How could someone retire from boxing after such a great career and end it on a somewhat debatable outcome from the new rising star in the division. Why would the champ not want to take one more great fight to end a great hall of fame career. After all since Vitali was ahead on all three judge scorecards, which had the bout at 58-56. Vitali even with that cut on his left eye was still 2 rounds in the lead. Mind you that cut happened in the 3rd round, 4 rounds for Vitali and only 2 for Lewis. Vitali still had the guts to go on for 3 more rounds and still win them, with blood pouring into his eyes. He still had the skill and fighters heart to go head to head, with the champ. He did not get knocked down unlike Briggs, but withstood his ground until the fight was stopped. It would have been a hell of a rematch, and Lennox Lewis knows it as well.

So we know Vitali has the chin and heart over Briggs, what does Briggs have against Vitali? Briggs usually catches his opposition with wild swinging hooks that flatten the B Level fighter. Starts throwing them at the beginning of the round, taking heavy breaths in between shots. After all in 58 total fights, “The Cannon” has knocked out 45 of them, and 30 in the first round. But against what kind of skill level fighters…. Lets look at what Dr. Ironfist brings to the table.

Vitali has two things that most boxers don’t possess. Klitschko has an extensive kickboxing career, 34-1 22KO’s, and a PhD in sports science. Could it be thats the reason why Vitali has never been knocked down… in a boxing fight. You can say that, ya, Vitali has tasted the canvas, but you have to go all the way back to the mid 90’s where his only lost in kickboxing came by a swinging back spin kick, which didn’t connect to Vitali’s concrete chin, but to his thigh. Briggs has also tried kickboxing back in 2004, where he is 1-0. But Vitali originally came from a kickboxing background. Which is where he got his powerful straight back slickster stance from. He has the ability to lean back on his right foot and gets even more lean leverage in his slickster stance with his long torso ( 6 ft 7 inches ). He pulls away from the fighter leaning back _/, so when the fighter comes in throwing and Vitali leans back even further with little back steeping it really throws off the fighter. Meaning Briggs really has to commit himself when coming in to land those powerful hooks. Briggs can come in if he can get past Vitali’s jab, but once he is in range of Vitali, unlike his younger brother Wlad, Vitali doesn’t leave his chin over his chest. Vitali unleashes that great right hand, that has Dr. Ironfist the highest knockout percentage of all heavyweight champions in total fights. He has 40 wins, and 38 came from knockouts. Vitali knows how to drain a fighter and then attack when the stamina is drained or they are trying to recover. That sports science degree really comes full circle when you watch his tactical plans in the ring. Briggs on the other hand…

Briggs has been quoted with his awesome game plan, that he wants to implicate onto Vitali. But I really hope he is joking. In an interview on the radio program “On the Ropes” at easideboxing.com, the 38-year-old Briggs said “I’m going to be the heavyweight champion of the world. Plan A is to knock him out in the 1st round, Plan B is to knock him out in the 2nd round, Plan C is to knock him out in the 3rd. And if I don’t knock him out at all, I plan on beating him in every round and that’s my main goal.”

I know that Briggs has been very pleased with his newest asthma medication. But for a man that usually weighs 260-270lbs. And to slim down all the way to below 250lbs, all while being 38 years old… it has to have you wonder, is there any power left in that “Cannon”?

Not to take away anything from such a remarkable achievement. But he is 38 years old, and going up against Vitali Klitschko. How can anyone really think that Briggs has a standing shot against a man that makes all his opponents look weak, and gassed out before he goes in for the knockout. To say that his game plan is to come out of his corner swinging and looking for a knock out against a man that has seen 42 professional boxing fights and has never been on the floor… Its jut not going to happen… And if it does, my wife will have to clean the couch because I will have crapped myself and passed out from shock.

In my eyes, this fight has very little appeal. I am American, and would love to see Briggs pull this off to bring home a belt to the good ole USA but I do not believe that Shannon will even get close to beating Vitali. There is a reason why after the major hype of a Lennox Lewis vs Vitali Klitschko II rematch, Lewis declined and stuck to retirement. With little opposition left in the heavyweight division back in the early 2000’s why wouldn’t he take a rematch fight to prove once and for all that Lewis was the big “Lion” he was. Fighters are in this sport to make money, and this fight would have garnered big money for his last official fight. I guess Lennox wanted to keep his loses to two rather than three. Briggs has terrible defense, gets gassed out early if he doesn’t get an early knockdown. In reality the only fight that would have appeal containing Briggs, would be against David Tua (51-3-2, 43KO’s), and even then thats a HBO Boxing after dark matchup. In the end, Briggs loves to get those 1st round knockouts. 30 of his 45 KO’s have come within round one. Briggs himself has stated how he wants to come out swinging for Vitali. Briggs also has an asthma condition, does he not realize that this is a 12 round bout? Vitali, has the highest percentage of knockouts in the heavyweight division. Breaks down the opposition before he comes in with his right hand, plays cautious until he see’s an opening. What are the chances that even Lennox Lewis couldn’t get Vitali down in their fight, that Shannon Briggs will do it, in round one, two or three… I mean if he is really hellbent on getting an early knockout, he is going to be gassed out sooner and dropping his hands. In the end, Briggs well get a mouthful of Grant campeon leather applied to his head after he is gassed out from trying to go for a knock out against a man that is too smart to let that happen. Because we all know that Vitali can take a punch. Even ones that ripped threw his skin and gush blood for rounds…all while still coming forward, blood, sweat,guts and all. The same punch can land on Briggs, but Briggs is on the canvas shortly after. After all, Briggs has been KO’d 2 out of 5 loses. If you can’t figure out the sports science around boxing, don’t worry because Dr. Ironfist can school/tutor your as* any day out this week.

I would love to see a next to the Author name in articles to have a tally on predictions percentages correct wins. Because I believe that the anonymous author writes just to have people like me write something in return. He is a great villain that we all need much like Mayweather Jr. And to see if writers actually stick to what they believe in or what they want to hype up.